Acts 17:21
( For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) ( For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
The Athenians and the strangers visiting there spent their time in nothing else but telling or hearing some new thing, in a city that was the very heart of paganism, given to idolatry and frivolous art-worship. Their hunger for novelty led the great men and Epicurean and Stoic philosophers to seek Paul out in the marketplace and bring him to Areopagus, or Mars' Hill, to ask what his new doctrine of Jesus and the resurrection meant. He met his curious audience with superior knowledge, earnest logical reasoning, philosophy, science and power of oratory, which commanded the respect of the learned, held the attention of all, and astonished and silenced proud philosophy, yet few accepted the gospel. The labor was not wholly in vain, for several became converts and joined themselves to him, but Paul was disappointed with the result and judged that this display of learning and eloquence had produced little fruit, so at Corinth he set aside worldly wisdom and preached the plain truth of Christ and Him crucified. The same love of novelty and excitement still draws mixed crowds to see and hear what is new, including those who come to camp meetings out of mere curiosity, yet hearing the message of truth can lead them to listen with candid interest.
Paul's Setting in Athens
The verse means that the Athenians and the strangers visiting there spent their time in nothing else but telling or hearing some new thing. It describes Athenians and visitors as spending time seeking or sharing something new. Athens was the very heart of paganism. Its people were frivolous art-worshipers.
The new and strange doctrine the novelty-hungry crowd wanted to hear was Paul's preaching of Jesus and the resurrection. Some jeered at it as babbling and others charged it as setting forth strange gods. That charge arose because he preached Jesus and the resurrection as a setter forth of strange gods.
That love of novelty and hunger for novelty brought the great men, the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, and a crowd of listeners to seek Paul out in the marketplace when they learned a singular teacher was setting forth doctrines new and strange. They took him to Areopagus, or Mars' Hill, to ask what his new doctrine was and what his strange things meant. His undaunted determination to tell his story at all hazards, even when warned of the fate of Socrates for setting forth strange gods, led them to decide to give him a fair hearing.
Paul's Preaching and Outcome
Paul labored in Athens in loneliness and adversity with unshaken confidence and courage. He met that curious audience on Mars' Hill, showing he was no novice but able to meet every class of people from men of renown to heathen idolaters. He proclaimed Christ there and set before them evidences of Christianity which were not of human invention but came from God and could not be quenched by any power on earth.
He met his hearers with a greater store of knowledge, earnest logical reasoning, science, and power of oratory, meeting logic with logic, philosophy with philosophy, and eloquence with eloquence. He had adapted his teaching to this audience, engaging in discussions of natural religion, science, logic, and philosophy, and displaying his ability, learning, and smartness. His reasoning commanded the respect of the learned and held the attention of all, and his hearers were astonished and silenced and the arguments of proud philosophy were silenced, yet few accepted the gospel.
That labor was not wholly in vain, for several became converts to Christianity and joined themselves to him. Paul was nevertheless disappointed with the result and afterward judged that this approach had produced little fruit and no real effect. That experience led him to take a different approach at Corinth, presenting the plain truth about Christ and Him crucified without worldly wisdom or adornment, since the shortness of life leaves no time for anything else. His words at Athens, and the inspired description of his attitude and surroundings, were recorded to be handed down through all coming generations, bearing witness of his confidence, his courage, and the victory gained for Christianity there.
Curiosity for Novelty Today
The verse describes those who are moved by wonder and curiosity, or by a love of excitement, to see and hear what is new. Such curiosity-seekers formed part of the mixed multitude from all grades of society and many nationalities that crowded around Jesus. They were distinct from those drawn by an irresistible impulse to hear His words even while only dimly comprehending them. In those sincere hearers seeds of life lodged, to spring up afterward and bear fruit.
That same appetite for novelty marks self-sufficient people who lack faith and experience and are drawn to new teachers. It also appears in one who is always eager to hear and repeat new things, especially claims about other people's wrongs, which she mistakes for discernment. Curiosity of this kind draws many to camp meetings to see and hear something new. Yet hearing the message of truth and meeting those who believe it can lead such visitors to listen with candid interest.